Countdown to Africa...

This entry is the most important entry I have composed thus far, and I couldn't wait to share it!  Yet, at the same time I had no idea how I could share my excitement and the importance of this news on a blog~it seemed so disconnected.  However, I started this blog to share chapters from our life story and this is going to be the biggest most life changing chapter for me to date.   So, here I am literally trembling with excitement at the keyboard.  I am struggling to keep my fingers in check so that they do not just take off with the thoughts that are flying through my head and the feelings that are flooding my heart right now.

Two weeks ago I found out that I have been selected to go on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa.  I know!  Crazy, right??!!!  I desperately want you to understand and be a part of all that has led up to this news.  It's quite a story and one that I want to cherish forever.  Looking back it is so amazing to see how God has orchestrated this entire event in the heart of His completely resistant child.  Whew~here we go!  This is going to be a long one, so I hope you can spare the time to see it through!  And I hope I can keep my eyes clear enough to continue to type. Ahhhhhh...

About a year and a half ago (2009) we started attending Northwest Bible Church in Hilliard, Ohio.  We had been "church shopping" for about six months since moving to the Columbus area and we just weren't "feeling it" at any place we visited.  One Friday afternoon I had decided to "Google" more churches in the area, which I had already done several times before.  I put in the exact same information I had in my previous searches and this time "Northwest Bible Church" was the first listing on the results page (I absolutely believe that God was on Google that day).  I clicked.  I read.  I looked at pictures.  I scoped out the children's program.  I informed my hubby.  On Sunday morning I was determined that we were going to try another new church.  Everyone was a bit tired of this routine.  But I was certain we needed to go to Northwest Bible.  The message was given by the Teaching Pastor as the Senior Pastor was on a mission trip in Malawi, Africa with a team of others from the church.  We loved Pastor Mark's message, although after his delivery we were completely worn out, I've never seen such passion and such energy go into sharing God's word.  This man is amazing.  Shortening the story....the kids enjoyed the children's church and we agreed to go back the following week. 

The following week was the Sunday after the Senior Pastor and the team had returned from Malawi, Africa.  They showed a video of a place called Passion Center for Children.  My emotions consumed me, in a way I had never experienced before.  At that moment I had a desire to "love on" these kids.  I began to pray what I could do from here to help them, because of course I would NEVER go to Africa.  As a matter of fact, Ryan and I have said out loud before that we would go anywhere the Lord led us~EXCEPT AFRICA.  Funny how things happen, huh?  So another year goes by.....

Let's move forward assuming I maintained my casual prayer of wanting to "love on" the kids at the Passion Center for Children from the comfort of my humble abode in Central Ohio (which I did).  That brings us to July 2010 and the second team from our church returns from Malawi~another video is shared.  This time I am overwhelmed to the point of not being able to breath.  I'm sitting in the middle of church feeling mascara and snot run down my face trying not to sob audibly.  We get in the car heading home from church and I say to Ryan, "God wants me to go to Malawi."  Ryan says, "I know.  I don't want to talk about it right now."  I of course did want to talk about it and keep nagging until I got this response from my hubby, "I know God wants you to go because he has told me to support you in this."  I was silenced.  Okay.  So God wanted me to go to Malawi.  And then my mind was racing:  "WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE TO OFFER THOSE CHILDREN?"  and  "HOW CAN I LEAVE MY CHILDREN FOR TWO WEEKS?"  and  "SERIOUSLY, YOU WANT ME TO GO TO AFRICA???"  However, it was all very clear and very absolute.

The seed that was planted a year earlier to "love on" these children had grown into a deep desire to "hug everyone of" these children.  It was such a raw realization that of all people, I needed to go to Africa.  I began to share this story with the rest of my family and each time I could hardly hold back the tears.  We went through the summer and into the fall with lots of prayer about this new desire.  I let the pastors know that God wanted me to go to Malawi, filled out my very overwhelming packet of information and turned in my deposit, but even that was no guarantee that I would be on the team.  There were only 30 spots available  for the 2011 summer trip and several who had gone before would be taking up most of the spots.  Ryan was so great to remind me that even if I didn't get a spot on the team, sometimes God just needs to know we are "willing".  So with that I settled in and although I hoped for a spot, I prayed for God's will and made sure he knew I was willing. 

Fall had come and with it came two very special visitors to our church.  Joseph and Palira, who are the primary caretakers/pastors (along with their wives) of the children at the Passion Center.  They shared so many things with our church during their visit and the reality that they live is just unfathomable.  Something else exciting happened~Joseph was going to join our small group on Sunday evening!  Out of all the different small groups that meet, he was coming to ours!  We were instructed to have some questions ready to ask Joseph about the center, Malawi, his daily routine, etc...  My question was, "What (besides prayer) is the most important thing we can do to help?"  Guess what he said???!!!!  In his broken English (this was his first visit to the U.S.) he says "Well, you can come over there yourself and hug everyone of them." CONFIRMATION CONFIRMATION!!!  Folks, I nearly fell out of my chair!  My heart is beating so fast right now just reliving all of these moments. 

In December, I attended the Women's Christmas Tea and the speaker for the evening also happened to be my table leader at weekly women's bible study.  She is so awesome and had gone on the trip to Malawi for the first time with the 2010 team (I believe).  During her message she made the comment that she wished she had gone on mission trips many years before she had (she's in her 50s but you wouldn't know it).  Her responsibility as a mother to young children and her resistance to leave them held her back.  She encouraged us "young mothers" to have faith and step out on it if God was calling us go!  CONFIRMATION, CONFIRMATION!!!  Now I was ecstatic!!! 

All of January went by with no word on who was on the team.  In the mean time our church body was given the awesome responsibility to get our "fingerprints" in Africa if we couldn't get our "footprints" there by filling a Semi-truck trailer with supplies and clothes that would be shipped to arrive this summer.  It's been amazing how the church body and others in the community have embraced this and the mock (life size) container in our church is starting to be filled!  I checked my email daily hoping for some word and then the trip organizer told me at church that he was planning to send out an email that week!  I lived on my hotmail account.  And then on Friday afternoon (in perfect timing), February 11th I got the email that said, "Welcome to the Summer 2011 Malawi Team"....I almost threw up!  If I could squeal through this monitor right now I would!

So friends, July 11-24th 2011 I will be traveling to the Passion Center for Children in Malawi, Africa to love on, hug on, whatever else God has planned for me with those precious children.  I have been told this will "rock my world".  To that I say, "I'm in for a good world rockin'".  There will be so many entries about this trip (can you believe I have left out several things) and all the preparations leading up to it.  Please pray for the Passion Center and the children who benefit from the center.  And stay tuned for so much more as this COUNTDOWN TO AFRICA begins!

Click on the link below to watch the 2010 Malawi Photo Montage from Northwest Bible:

http://vimeo.com/14549678

Happy Pinkalicious Hallie Ryan!

Well folks, we have made it!  Today my sweet Hallie Ryan turned 3 years old!  I was beginning to wonder if we would survive the twos and by the grace of God, we did!  Yesterday I had a thought.  God blessed me with a little girl that is full of personailty so that I would never have the opportunity at the end of the day to say, "Well, this was a boring uneventful day."  Hallie brings so much joy, so much excitement, and so much princess to our lives that I can't imagine it another way! 

I remember finding out we were having a little girl and I was so paniked.  I really wanted Parker to have a little brother because I knew about all the drama that came with little girls.  Plus, the Sisney household already had a Princess~ ME!  How in the world would this turn out?  But the bigger my belly got, the more I started to bond with that little girl in there.  And when she came out so absolutely perfect and pink~I was in love! 

Hallie loves anything pink and everything sweet!  She's always much to full for real meals, but she always has room for a "treat".  She adores her daddy more than anything in the world.  She has his big brown eyes, you know.  I fall in love all over again when I watch her love on him and see him melt a little each time.  On the weekends I no longer exist~it's all about daddy.  I think that is the cutest thing ever.  She is so proud of her big brudder and thinks everything he does is magical.  More than once she has offered Parker and Daddy a necklace or braclett saying, "Will you be my wife?"  We'll have to iron this one out during our year as a three year old! 

Just today we were strolling around Target picking up some last minute items for her Pinkalicious birthday party and she burst into song!  "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, Blessed Be the Name-ame of the Lord"  She was screaming it at the top of her lungs and drawing some attention and so I just said, "Sing it Sister!"  It was so adorable.  I am so thankful that she chose that song and not "Bust the Windows Out ya Car"  that she heard on Glee!  She heard it one time and of course stored it in her memory banks.  That's just what kind of girl she is~she always needs to have options!  Another example of keeping her options open is by having three on-going toothbruses.  One pink, one purple, and one red.  I mean a girl just has to go with her gut sometimes, ya know?

I still say there will be a time later in her life when she and I will not be friends, but isn't that when the best relationships between mothers and daughters bloom?  When they can lay down their crowns and sceptors, meet in the middle of the castle, and just be girls.  Besides, I will always have first dibs on the Prince (daddy)!

Here's a little bit of Hallie then and now!  It just makes me smile all over to look at these and remember when!  Hope you enjoy!  Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Hallie Ryan Sisney!

Everyday is Valentines Day!

 My hubby and I were talking about the silliness of Valentines Day, and how for some it is a day they are forced to be together, to be thoughtful, to be lovey.  Only to go back to "coexisting" the following day.  And then he says something so sweet (a bit cheesy, but the sweet part overrules) "When you're us, everyday is Valentines Day".  I know I can hear the "awes" coming from all of you out there!  He is right.  We so enjoy being together, holding hands, sitting close when we're in public, looking at each other with those looks that transport us back to where our love began.  It's very hard to find something "special" to do on a day that is labeled as "Love Day" when we often do special things for each other daily, anyway.  However, to keep with the tradition of the day, I did find the most amazingly adorable yet secretly suggestive card that brought an unforgettable smile this morning.  Now I am just anxiously awaiting the return of my Valentine, as I do everyday, so that he can hug me with that embrace that warms me from the inside out.  To hear our children squeal and watch them run into his arms as if they hadn't seen him in a month.  To sit down at a meal that isn't at a fancy restaurant where we can laugh as much as we want and be ourselves without the appearance of being perfect.  We'll share a simple dessert of heart shaped cookies and end the day with a snuggle on the sofa, and a head rub before falling asleep absolutely more in love than the night before.  I love that Everyday is Valentines Day!  And I love you, my sweet hubby!

In honor of this "special" day, enjoy one of my favorites!

Sisney House Rules

Well, I am just terrible at blogging consistently~sorry about that!

So over the past month God has offered several hints to me regarding the "rules" we live by here in the Sisney house.  I realized that although we teach bible stories and verses and try to surround our kiddos with God's truth we really hadn't taken a stand as a family to be accountable to each other on these things.  So, I sat down with the kids and we first talked about the most important "rules" we should follow as God's children.  Parker was awesome in offering his opinion and Hallie was very quick to repeat the one rule that Mommy is always saying, "Listen and Obey".  I seriously think she may believe that her name is " Hallie Ryan Listen and Obey Sisney"!  Poor thing has great intentions, but her follow through needs a bit of work ;~) So here are the rules that the kids and I came up with:

1.  Love God
2.  Listen and Obey
3.  Nice Talk
4.  Show Respect

These are the rules that are most important in this chapter of our Life Story, and since creating this list I have thought of a few more (5+) that we could certainly adopt.  However, keeping in mind that two of us are 5 and under I thought we should just keep it simple to start!

So after creating our list I went to the Word.  My desire is not for Parker and Hallie to memorize these words on a list, but I want them to store God's Word in their heart as they grow and learn. To have a stored up strength that no one can take from them as they leave the safety of our home.   For each rule there is a scripture that coinsides.  This has not only been helpful at keeping us accountable (trust me Mommy has been called out a few times) to God's truths, but it has also helped me in the heat of a Mommy Moment.  When the kids are in an all out battle for something completely and utterly meaningless all I have to say is, "Parker and Hallie to the refrigerator".  They stop yelling and we all gather at the fridge to see what rule we need to remember.  It has been such a great way for me to store God's word in my heart as well.  So here is the complete list of Sisney House Rules:

1.  Love God ~  You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  Deuteronomy  6:5

2.   Listen and Obey ~ Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.  Ephesians 6:1

3.  Nice Talk ~ Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.  Ephesians 4:29

4.  Show respect to each other ~ Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32

And my favorite part is that at the bottom of this very ordinary piece of paper that hangs purposefully on our fridge are four very sweet signatures:  Mommy, Daddy, Parker, & Hallie.  It's our commitment to God and each other to do life together according to God's Word.  And I envision this same sweet list years from now, tattered from its life journey from refrigerator to refrigerator, still being the foundation that keeps this family centered.